Making the perfect curry

Yes Daddima it's Mayflower and for £1 such good value.

Mayflower? Lovely stuff. Maysan curry sauce is good too, but I’ve only ever bought it in Chinese supermarkets.

For anyone who likes Chinese curries I buy a spice mix from B and M stores. My daughter bought it first and told me about it. It comes in one of those plastic takeaway cartons with a sleeve over it. It costs £1 and does me three times. It takes so much like curry from a Chines restaurant,it's fab!

Check BBC Good Food for slow cooker recipes!

The Spice Tailor range from the major supermarkets are easy and fabulous. They do about 6 different ones. I always cook them for much longer than the instructions say though

Dried red lentils will soon hoover up any excess liquid. Good for you too as they're a good and cheap source of protein.

I use ground almonds as a thickener.

Yes, it is so easy!
And quick.

Buy a jar of curry sauce from a supermarket You can't go wrong and can always thin it down with coconut milk.

To my mind dhal is more like a gravy to eat on rice. And it's y-u-m-m-y!

Here's a recipe for dhal another accompaniment:
www.750g.com/dhal-curry-de-lentilles-r100662.htm
Looks nice but a bit too wet. Maybe it's like a soup.

I agree with the posters who say slow cooker and curries don't work. Much better to brown spices and meat/veg of choice. My thickener is red lentils - not too many as they grow! Also lots of finely chopped onions and don't be afraid to brown those too. The more onions, the richer the sauce.

I don’t use stock at all my curry base is passata or coconut milk with lots of fried onions and spices and plenty of fresh chilli I am a vegetarian so lots of veggies in my curries too

I don't use stock, usually a can of chopped tomatoes.
Use ground almonds to thicken - adds texture.
Have a look at Spices on the Web's website for all sorts of spices, herbs, etc. Sign up and get a monthly discount voucher.

Onion bhajis ...

I make a good curry. I'm with those who say 'less is more' when it comes to adding liquid. My trick is to add a dollop of fruit chutney to the mix and stir it is. Yummy!

I'm so lucky - a near neighbour makes the most delicious authentic Indian bhajis and her lovely son brings them freshly cooked to my door when the craving strikes.

I make curry in a slow cooker and the trick is to remember that you won't find much liquid evaporating as you cook. If you were cooking on the hob then liquid will evaporate but in the slow cooker it doesn't, so use less liquid and keep an eye on it the first time you cook it . You will find out how much you should use to get the right consistency.

I have never made a curry using a slow cooker, I'm interested in the different methods . I don't think I'm going to change my method though ,which is cumin seeds to start with cooked until splitting, then add finely chopped peppers, onions, garlic, ginger and chillies, cook for 6 minutes. Add curry paste ,dry coriander and cumin powder, also a few drops of hot water.
cook for couple of minutes. Then add whatever meat or prawns, cook for 5 mins. Then add tin or fresh tomatoes , fresh coriander, simmer for 15mins , then serve. Delicious

Perhaps this has been mentioned already, if so, apologies, but when using the slow cooker you need to cut back on the liquid, usually by about a third, as it does not reduce down in the way it would if cooked on the stove. The other suggestions seem good ones, too. Good luck.

I never use stock in a curry either. I use a recipe given to me by a neighbour many years ago.
However I did find something in Waitrose this week that was really good. It is a series of curry recipe packs with everything you need in them for various different curries. We had the Penang & it was delicious, Cost £2 & all I had to add was the rice & chicken. Worth a punt!

A really sour Cooking apple gives a nice flavour too , but i think the watery consistency is because you are using a slow cooker , bung it in a casserole and shove it in the oven

In any stew/curry you need s thickener...with stew I use potato...with a curry I use cornflour!

As you say cc the spiced should be fried first.
I had a real cookery flop lately with a recipe for Persian Chicken Curry. The recipe said to put the spices in with stock. Completely tasteless.

The spices really should be fried, not just dropped into the liquid. As others have suggested, fry the onions, add meat and then spices once the meat has seared. Just add enough liquid to bubble and cook the meat, no need to cover everything with stock.
If you're adding other vegetables (eg peppers, tomatoes) you may not need any liquid at all, just put a lid on the pan and cook gently. It will produce enough liquid for a sauce. I often add a splash of lemon juice or tamarind paste to lift the taste a bit.

Mary B Malayan curry is foolproof and authentic. Perfection on a plate